Newspaper Page Text
Wednesday, July 4,2018
dawsonnews.com I DAWSON COUNTY NEWS I 3A
Friendly critters draw big crowd to library
By Jessica Brown
jbrown@dawsonnews.com
As the summer reading program
at Dawson County Library contin
ues, its momentum continues rising
as more and more kids participate in
weekly programs on Wednesdays.
The Wildlife Wonders show June
27 was no exception, bringing in the
largest crowd this summer.
Nearly 160 kids gathered togeth
er, excited to meet the special ani
mal guests that Tom Bennett
brought with him from the North
Georgia Zoo in Cleveland.
The zoo is home to 400 exotic
animals and while the zoo is open
to the public, Bennett said they spe
cialize in bringing animals out into
the community at libraries, church
es, festivals and parties.
Bennett brought some very spe
cial friends with him from all over
the world for kids to enjoy: Arlo the
South American Three Banded
Armadillo, Aquilla the African
Pygmy Hedgehog, Solomon the
Monkey Tail Lizard, Allie the
American Alligator, Fluffy the
Madagascar Tree Boa, Jeremiah the
African Bullfrog, Esther the
Chinchilla and Priscilla the
Capuchin monkey.
At the conclusion of the Wildlife
Wonders show, Bennett and his ani
mal friends were met with wild
applause.
“The library has something for
everyone,” said Dawson County
Library Director Leslie Clark.
“That’s the beauty of it. It’s a com
munity gathering space.”
Through activities like the sum
mer reading program, the library
has something to offer everyone.
It’s not just about the books. It’s
about bringing the community
together.
The next summer reading pro
gram will be musician Jennifer
Daniels at 11 a.m. July 11 and
Literary Cupcake Wars for the older
kids and teens at 4 p.m. July 11.
Photos by Jessica Brown Dawson County News
Left, a young boy stares in amazement at
Jeremiah, a large African Bullfrog from the
North Georgia Zoo, during the Wildlife Wonders
show at the Dawson County Library June 27.
Above, Priscilla, a 27-year-old Capuchin mon
key, inspects the North Georgia Zoo flyers to
make sure they smell good enough to hand out
at the library June 27.
Transportation Secretary,
officials hold ceremony
for Ga. 400 express lanes
By Kelly Whitmire
DCN Regional Staff
The smell of asphalt
hung in the air on Exit 12
of Ga. 400 on Friday as
locals, workers and offi
cials, including U.S.
Department of
Transportation Secretary
Elaine Chao, celebrated
new funds for express
lanes on the highway.
Friday’s ceremony,
held in the middle of the
exit’s cloverleaf, celebrat
ed $184 million in
Infrastructure for
Rebuilding America, or
INFRA, grant funding to
add two express lanes on
each side of Ga. 400 from
the North Springs Marta
Station in Sandy Springs
to McGinnis Ferry Road
and one express lane in
each direction from
McGinnis Ferry to
McFarland Parkway.
“This important project
will enhance safety,
decrease travel times and
improve the quality of
life for the people in this
area,” Chao said.
Express lanes are
optional toll lanes along
existing lanes aimed at
allowing drivers to
bypass congestion.
The lanes are not
planned to reduce the
number of normal lanes
on the road, including
new lanes funded through
a $200 million transporta
tion bond approved by
voters in 2014.
According to the
Georgia Department of
Transportation, the new
lanes will add 65 miles of
road and reduce traffic
delays by 18 percent.
Chao said the adminis
tration of President
Donald Trump signed the
“One Federal Decision”
executive order, which
“directs all federal gov
ernment agencies to work
together to speed up the
delivery of new infra
structure” by streamlining
the permitting of projects.
“This means less paper
work, less red tape and
more timely improve
ments that will better pro
tect the environment and
our quality of life,” she
said.
Also speaking at the
event were GDOT
Commissioner Russell
McMurry, State Road and
Tollway Authority
Executive Director Chris
Tomlinson, state Rep.
Kevin Tanner, state Sen.
Brandon Beach,
Congressman Rob
Woodall and
Congresswoman Karen
Handel.
“Perhaps the biggest
impact of these new lanes
of this project will on be
the quality of life for all
who call this region, this
corridor, home,” Handel
said. “Moms and dads
will be able to make it to
their child’s baseball
game, get to that recital
without having to take off
a half day from work.
The dreaded daily com
mute will be a lot easier.”
Officials pointed out
the shorter commutes
could also mean econom
ic benefits to the region.
McMurray said
Georgia received the
highest amount of
INFRA funding among
all states.
“Some 230,000 cars
each day traverse this
area, and the express
lanes really represent a
solution to congestion by
offering a choice to
motorists and also a sig
nificant benefit to transit
users along this corridor
by having reliable trip
times,” he said.
Tanner, who represents
a portion of north Forsyth
and is chairman of the
state House transportation
committee, said leaders
will need to find transpor
tation solutions for the
rapidly-growing metro
area.
“We’re growing at
100,000 people a year in
this 13-county region.
That’s a million a
decade,” Tanner said.
“We’re going to have to
be innovative.”
Previously, GDOT offi
cials said construction for
the express lanes is slated
to begin in 2021 and be
completed by 2024.
Once other projects are
completed, the new Ga.
400 lanes will tie in with
express lanes on 1-285
between 1-75 and 1-85.
The projects are one of
1 1 Major Mobility
Investment program proj
ects from around the
state. The projects
include interstate widen-
ings for options of 1-85
and 1-16, commercial
vehicle lanes on 1-75 near
Macon and interchange
reconstruction projects on
1-16 and 1-285.
The projects total $11
billion.
July 2-20, 2018 ~ Mon - Fri 8am to 5pm
At Board of Elections office - 96 Academy Ave
*Closed for 4 th of July ~ NO Saturday voting
Election Day Voting, July 24 th : all polls will be open from 7:00 am -7:00 pm
(YOU MUST GO TO YOUR PRECINCTTO VOTE THIS DAY)
1. ) WEST precinct - at Fire Station #6 on Hubbard Rd
2. ) CENTRAL precinct - at Board of Elections office, 96 Academy Avenue
3. ) EAST precinct - at Fire Station #2 on Liberty Drive (next to Tractor Supply)
If in question about your voting location, and/or to view a *sample ballot you may visit
"My Voter Page" @ http://www.mvp.sos.ea.eov/MVP/mvp or
call the Elections & Registration office at 706-344-3640
‘Sample ballots are available in the office, as well.
Runoff Election FAQ's:
1. What party choice you made in the Primary, must be the same for the Runoff.
2. If you voted Non-partisan in the Primary, you may vote for the party of choice in the Runoff,
(there is not a non-partisan runoff this election)
3. If you did not vote in the Primary and are registered, you ARE eligible to vote in the Runoff.
~ Note: Absentee by mail ballot applications may be requested up until 5 pm on Friday July 20 th .
(No voting on Monday prior to all elections).
le 9I
TO [OWN
NO CREDIT CHECK
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706-216-1515
Open Monday thru Saturday at 9am-6pm
1976 Ga. Hwy 400, Dawsonville
(Located conveniently on Ga 400 South. Just past RaceTrac)
Come in to
speak with Tim!
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